Our People

John Robertson, Chairman (Cape Town)

John Robertson, a self-made entrepreneur, started working in the fire protection industry in 1970 as a pipe-fitter at Angus Fire Armour in Thame, England. In 1972, he moved to Cape Town, South Africa and began working at Mather & Platt, the leading company at the time. Four years later he was offered a job as a Project Manager at an opposition company and he successfully opened a branch in Port Elizabeth.

After two years Mather & Platt re-employed him as a Contracts Manager. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to National Contracts Manager in Johannesburg. In 1986 he decided the time was right to start his own business given his encompassing knowledge of the industry.

His vision and realisation is that companies are all about people and he is focused on ensuring that only the best people in the industry work for his businesses. He endeavours to keep abreast of the latest technology by ensuring that his senior staff are members of worldwide organisations such as the National Fire Protection Association, where education and training in the latest advancements in the industry are available. This knowledge is passed on to his staff through compulsory in-house training sessions. Focusing on quality and safety are also high on his agenda.

Brian Vlok, Sales Director (Cape Town)

Brian Vlok started in fire protection in 2003 after successfully completing his Bachelor of Commerce in Information Systems (BCom IS) at the University of Cape Town. He quickly expanded his knowledge of the product and rules by attending courses and conferences held by the industry. His drive to learn saw him achieve his ASIB competency certificate in 2010 and he has now been drafted to represent the Technical Advisory Committee of the ASIB. In 2012, driven by the intention to succeed and excel, he made the move to Fireco.

Craig van Wyk, Technical Director (Cape Town)

After completing his National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering in 2008 at CPUT, Craig van Wyk joined the sprinkler protection industry as a draughtsman at Bramley and Associates. With extensive training and hard work he achieved his ASIB certification in 2010 and continued to further his knowledge and his practical experience in the fire protection industry. He started at Fireco in 2013 and will surely add value to the Fireco team.